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Seeing beyond Depression
Depression is a painful reality, an illness that we cannot treat by ourselves. We need help to recover from it, and a friend to walk with us through the difficult times.
Jean Vanier, one of the great spiritual writers of our time, has written this simple and clear book about depression. The writing is inspirational and sympathetic as he explores how we can move beyond depression--out of the darkness into the light.
In twelve simple but profound chapters, Vanier goes right to the heart of our hurt, clarifying our feelings and offering us hope. On the left-hand page is a succinct thought that is developed in detail on the right-hand page.
Seeing Beyond Depression will appeal to:
--anyone who has known depression
--families and friends of depressed persons
--spiritual seekers
--fans of Jean Vanier
89 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
17 people are currently reading
207 people want to read
About the author
Jean Vanier
222 books166 followersJean Vanier was educated in England and Canada, entered the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, England in 1942. He went to sea in 1945 in the Royal Navy and in 1947 transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy. He resigned from the Royal Canadian Navy in 1950 while serving H.M.C.S. Magnificent. He then went to France to work in a students' community outside of Paris. He studied philosophy and theology and obtained a Doctorate from the Catholic Institute in Paris.
At various times in his life, Vanier has been a(n)
author-
traveler-
founder-
humanitarian-
peacemaker-
At various times in his life, Vanier has been a(n)
author-
traveler-
founder-
humanitarian-
peacemaker-
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 26, 2012
As someone who has experienced chronic depression I found this book one of the most gentle and encouraging reads. On one hand it could be read as very simplistic, but the truths and lessons are profound and important. A beautiful book to recommend to someone struggling with the illness.
June 15, 2012
Jean Vanier understands the human heart and soul better than most people I have met or read.
There is wisdom in this book but all of it won't apply to everyone in every situation but anybody who has to deal with depression first or second hand will find at least some benefit from this book.
June 11, 2019
My dad's friends recommended this to him and he's finding it helpful so he gave it to me.
There are some helpful ideas, some truths, and some affirmations which could be of help to people but I found the packaging of all depression other than grief or tragic event derived, stemming from buried childhood trauma simplified greatly. Clinical depression is much more complex than that. Some steps to finding healing are true and helpful but overall I found that portion of the book somewhat simplistic. It gives a person a good starting point and the knowledge that it's not a quick fix.
I found the description of medication use for clinical depression objectionable. To say that some people find help through medication because their "inner darkness is so painful" does a disservice to the discussion of depression just as the root of all being in childhood trauma or neglect. There is a quick mention of genetics which is very abridged. This being such a slim text, I don't think it was the author's intent to elucidate on all of the complexities of the brain but there ideas more behind depression and depression medications than touched upon here.
The author steers one toward religion and spirituality, which have a purpose in healing for those who have that belief and also to practical things such as to help combat the fatigue that often accompanies depression.
Overall I thought this was a decent read. The affirmations and tips to help oneself take the steps towards a healthier self were good even though I still feel like it is a simplified explanation of the disease and it's treatments. I did appreciate the differentiation between grief and depression as well as needing a support system of friends and loved ones as well as the importance of professional help when that is necessary.
The stigma surrounding mental illnesses can reinforce the ill person's conscious or unconscious feelings of worthlessness or being burdensome. I appreciate helpful texts to facilitate discussions to lessen that stigma and encourage more people to seek help and health. There can be comfort from the highlighted quotes and affirmations, they certainly worked for my dad. Hopefully this will spark discussions, support, and nudge some to open up.
There are some helpful ideas, some truths, and some affirmations which could be of help to people but I found the packaging of all depression other than grief or tragic event derived, stemming from buried childhood trauma simplified greatly. Clinical depression is much more complex than that. Some steps to finding healing are true and helpful but overall I found that portion of the book somewhat simplistic. It gives a person a good starting point and the knowledge that it's not a quick fix.
I found the description of medication use for clinical depression objectionable. To say that some people find help through medication because their "inner darkness is so painful" does a disservice to the discussion of depression just as the root of all being in childhood trauma or neglect. There is a quick mention of genetics which is very abridged. This being such a slim text, I don't think it was the author's intent to elucidate on all of the complexities of the brain but there ideas more behind depression and depression medications than touched upon here.
The author steers one toward religion and spirituality, which have a purpose in healing for those who have that belief and also to practical things such as to help combat the fatigue that often accompanies depression.
Overall I thought this was a decent read. The affirmations and tips to help oneself take the steps towards a healthier self were good even though I still feel like it is a simplified explanation of the disease and it's treatments. I did appreciate the differentiation between grief and depression as well as needing a support system of friends and loved ones as well as the importance of professional help when that is necessary.
The stigma surrounding mental illnesses can reinforce the ill person's conscious or unconscious feelings of worthlessness or being burdensome. I appreciate helpful texts to facilitate discussions to lessen that stigma and encourage more people to seek help and health. There can be comfort from the highlighted quotes and affirmations, they certainly worked for my dad. Hopefully this will spark discussions, support, and nudge some to open up.
August 20, 2017
The kindle version is weird
The book seems kind of choppy. The page numbering is off, and given that the writings is already discombobulated, it does leave the reader with much confidence that they didn't skip a page. I have Becoming Human, I'll give that a go next. This book is helpful and it could lead to great discoveries for those that know very little about depression and true self.
The book seems kind of choppy. The page numbering is off, and given that the writings is already discombobulated, it does leave the reader with much confidence that they didn't skip a page. I have Becoming Human, I'll give that a go next. This book is helpful and it could lead to great discoveries for those that know very little about depression and true self.
December 30, 2017
Nice and easy read. Many points worthy of reflection.
July 8, 2019
Read in 2 hours and I loved it!
I hope I can use all this brand new perspectives to help my father to tackle deep depression situation. I am very thankful for the author!
I hope I can use all this brand new perspectives to help my father to tackle deep depression situation. I am very thankful for the author!
January 2, 2025
Too much emphasis on childhood trauma causing depression. I did think it was good to mention how we need to learn how to rest.
Read
January 17, 2015It reads prettily (though I found the pull-quotes on facing pages distracting), but it feels disconnected -- both as a whole, and also disconnected from my experiences (albeit second-hand) of severe, chronic depression.
The opening vignettes are about grief, and leaving aside the fact that the formatting often makes it difficult to distinguish blockquote from maintext, I'm really not interested in pages about grief as a way to ramp into, "And some people have a biological disposition to have much greater difficulty recovering from emotional hurt" -- though I recognize that that's probably a helpful framing for a lot of people.
The author states that "Depression [...] has its origins in the wounds of our childhood that we have never wanted to own or to name" (15). The chapter makes sense, and I appreciate that it's immediately followed by a chapter titled "Chemical Changes in the Body," though that chapter basically doesn't say anything beyond "In many ways, biology and psychology are ONE, because the human being is ONE. Some people have a biological predisposition to depression inherited from their parents" (27), which is fine, but I would like a little bit more (and yes, I feel the irony, given that I've found the ~medical chapters in recent books I've read a bit excessive).
I'm not really sure what to say about the rest of the book. The chapter titles say most of it for me:
5. The Winters of Life Prepare the Way for Springtime
6. You Are Part of a Beautiful Universe
7. The Deepest Person Within Each One of Us
8. Struggling Against the Powers of Death
9. Knowing How to Rest
10. Going Down Into the Darkness
11. Depression: A Crisis Which Can Set Us Free
12. Getting Out of Depression
It reads prettily, but I come away from it with a sense of, "Depression is a dark season, and if you love someone who's depressed, love them as they are and let them emerge at their own pace, and if you are depressed, recognize that you are not alone, help is out there, and as you find trustworthy people to listen to you and possibly medication, as you learn how to recognize the deepest self within you, who is connected to the beautiful universe, as you find ways to be strengthened and uplifted by the beauty of nature, as you move through the darkness to emerge on the other side, you will find healing, and you will also have increased empathy for other people who are in pain." None of which is necessarily untrue, but.. I think it's partly the sense I get of "Depression is a dark season -- which can/will pass." The author does mention in the last chapter that some people may have to continue to take medication, may have to be hospitalized again, etc., but I still felt like the norm was that while you might always be somewhat fragile, severe bouts of depression are distinct phases -- which feels to me like an oversimplification of many people's experiences of chronic, severe depression (which may not be the kind of depression Vanier particularly has in mind, of course, which is its own problem).
The opening vignettes are about grief, and leaving aside the fact that the formatting often makes it difficult to distinguish blockquote from maintext, I'm really not interested in pages about grief as a way to ramp into, "And some people have a biological disposition to have much greater difficulty recovering from emotional hurt" -- though I recognize that that's probably a helpful framing for a lot of people.
The author states that "Depression [...] has its origins in the wounds of our childhood that we have never wanted to own or to name" (15). The chapter makes sense, and I appreciate that it's immediately followed by a chapter titled "Chemical Changes in the Body," though that chapter basically doesn't say anything beyond "In many ways, biology and psychology are ONE, because the human being is ONE. Some people have a biological predisposition to depression inherited from their parents" (27), which is fine, but I would like a little bit more (and yes, I feel the irony, given that I've found the ~medical chapters in recent books I've read a bit excessive).
I'm not really sure what to say about the rest of the book. The chapter titles say most of it for me:
5. The Winters of Life Prepare the Way for Springtime
6. You Are Part of a Beautiful Universe
7. The Deepest Person Within Each One of Us
8. Struggling Against the Powers of Death
9. Knowing How to Rest
10. Going Down Into the Darkness
11. Depression: A Crisis Which Can Set Us Free
12. Getting Out of Depression
It reads prettily, but I come away from it with a sense of, "Depression is a dark season, and if you love someone who's depressed, love them as they are and let them emerge at their own pace, and if you are depressed, recognize that you are not alone, help is out there, and as you find trustworthy people to listen to you and possibly medication, as you learn how to recognize the deepest self within you, who is connected to the beautiful universe, as you find ways to be strengthened and uplifted by the beauty of nature, as you move through the darkness to emerge on the other side, you will find healing, and you will also have increased empathy for other people who are in pain." None of which is necessarily untrue, but.. I think it's partly the sense I get of "Depression is a dark season -- which can/will pass." The author does mention in the last chapter that some people may have to continue to take medication, may have to be hospitalized again, etc., but I still felt like the norm was that while you might always be somewhat fragile, severe bouts of depression are distinct phases -- which feels to me like an oversimplification of many people's experiences of chronic, severe depression (which may not be the kind of depression Vanier particularly has in mind, of course, which is its own problem).
June 8, 2012
best to read in 2 parts. On one side of the page are helpful quotations; on the other some helpful info. Helpful book and uplifting but places too much emphasis on depression being linked to childhood trauma rather than life events. I would give this between 2 and 3 stars.
August 15, 2013
This is a good, quick read about depression. Its an encouraging little book for people who suffer from depression. Its also helpful if you've got a friend struggling with this, because it can help you better understand how to love a friend through depression.
January 5, 2015
As someone who experienced periods of chronic depression, Jean Vanier understood my condition better than anyone else I've ever read.
May 4, 2013
This book is wonderful. I highly suggest people read this with an open mind and withj the desire for change or the desire to understand what people go through while experiencing depression.
January 13, 2016
Very simple but practical advice about the roots of depression and the things individuals can do to heal and emerge from depression.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews